EP1094370A2 - Aufladevorrichtung, Aufladerolle und Bilderzeugungsgerät - Google Patents

Aufladevorrichtung, Aufladerolle und Bilderzeugungsgerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1094370A2
EP1094370A2 EP00122870A EP00122870A EP1094370A2 EP 1094370 A2 EP1094370 A2 EP 1094370A2 EP 00122870 A EP00122870 A EP 00122870A EP 00122870 A EP00122870 A EP 00122870A EP 1094370 A2 EP1094370 A2 EP 1094370A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
charging
charged
roller
nip
charging device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP00122870A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1094370A3 (de
EP1094370B1 (de
Inventor
Masataka Kodama
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Canon Inc
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Canon Inc
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Publication date
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Publication of EP1094370A2 publication Critical patent/EP1094370A2/de
Publication of EP1094370A3 publication Critical patent/EP1094370A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1094370B1 publication Critical patent/EP1094370B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/02—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices
    • G03G15/0208—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices by contact, friction or induction, e.g. liquid charging apparatus
    • G03G15/0216—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices by contact, friction or induction, e.g. liquid charging apparatus by bringing a charging member into contact with the member to be charged, e.g. roller, brush chargers
    • G03G15/0233—Structure, details of the charging member, e.g. chemical composition, surface properties
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/18—Cartridge systems
    • G03G2221/183—Process cartridge

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a charging device for charging a member to be charged in contact with the member to be charged, an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine and a printer, and a process cartridge detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus.
  • the present invention also relates to a charging roller included in the charging device.
  • a corona charger corona discharger
  • an image bearing member member to be charged
  • an electrophotographic photosensitive member and an electrostatic recording dielectric member
  • the corona charger is a non-contact type charging device and typically has an organization including a discharge electrode, such as a wire electrode, and a shield electrode disposed so as to surround the discharge electrode except for a discharge opening and direct the discharge opening toward and free of contact with an image bearing member as a member to be charged, whereby an image bearing surface of the image bearing member is charged by exposure to a discharge current (corona shower) caused by applying a high voltage between the discharge electrode and the shield electrode.
  • a discharge electrode such as a wire electrode
  • a shield electrode disposed so as to surround the discharge electrode except for a discharge opening and direct the discharge opening toward and free of contact with an image bearing member as a member to be charged, whereby an image bearing surface of the image bearing member is charged by exposure to a discharge current (corona shower) caused by applying a high voltage between the discharge electrode and the shield electrode.
  • a contact-type charging device as mentioned above wherein a charging member supplied with a voltage is abutted against a member to be charged to charge the member to be charged, has been commercialized.
  • such a contact charging device includes an electroconductive charging member of a roller-type (charging roller), a fur brush-type, a blade-type, etc., which is caused to contact a member to be charged, such as an image bearing member, and is supplied with a prescribed charging bias voltage to charge a surface of the member to be charged to a prescribed potential of a prescribed polarity.
  • a roller-type charging roller
  • a fur brush-type fur brush-type
  • a blade-type etc.
  • the charging mechanism in the contact charging includes two types of mechanisms, i.e., (1) a discharge charging mechanism and (2) a direct injection charging mechanism, in mixture, and various charging characteristics appear depending on which of the two mechanisms is dominant.
  • Figure 4 illustrates charging characteristic curves according to the representative of the respective mechanisms, which are characterized as follows.
  • a surface of the member to be charged is charged by a discharge phenomenon occurring at a minute gap between the contact charging member and the member to be charged.
  • the discharge phenomenon occurs above a certain discharge threshold voltage between the contact charging member and the member to be charged, it is necessary to supply the contact charging member with a voltage larger than a charge potential provided to the member to be charged.
  • the occurrence of discharge by-products is inevitable in principle while the amount thereof is remarkably less than in the case of a corona charger, so that difficulties such as the occurrence of ions caused by active ions can not be completely obviated.
  • the discharge charging mechanism is generally predominant in the roller charging scheme.
  • a charging roller is generally formed of a conductive or medium-resistivity rubber material or foam product, which may be laminated with another layer to provide desired properties.
  • the charging roller is provided with an elasticity so as to form a certain width of contact (nip), which results in a large friction during its movement following the movement of the member to be charged at an identical speed or with a slight speed difference.
  • nip width of contact
  • some non-contact state is inevitably caused due to a surface shape irregularity of the roller and attached material on the member to be charged, which promote the discharge charging mechanism.
  • the charging is started by application of a voltage in excess of a certain threshold voltage.
  • the surface potential of the photosensitive member is started to increase when a voltage of ca. 640 volts or higher is applied to the charging roller, and is increased thereafter linearly in proportion (at a rate of 1) to the increase in the applied voltage.
  • JP-A Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application
  • the direct injection charging mechanism charges are directly injected to the surface of the member to be charged by a direct contact of a medium-resistivity contact charging member to the surface of the member to be charged basically without relaying on the discharge mechanism. Accordingly, the member to be charged can be charged to a potential proportional to the voltage applied to the charging member even at an applied voltage below the discharge threshold voltage as represented by a solid line in Figure 4.
  • the direct injection charging mechanism is not accompanied with the occurrence of ions and is therefore free from difficulties of discharge by-products.
  • a contact charging member such as a charging roller, a charging brush or a charging magnetic brush
  • a voltage to inject charges to charge-retaining means such as a trap level present at the surface of the member to be charged (image-bearing member) or electroconductive particles in a charge-injection layer formed at the surface of the member to be charged.
  • charge-retaining means such as a trap level present at the surface of the member to be charged (image-bearing member) or electroconductive particles in a charge-injection layer formed at the surface of the member to be charged.
  • charge-retaining means such as a trap level present at the surface of the member to be charged (image-bearing member) or electroconductive particles in a charge-injection layer formed at the surface of the member to be charged.
  • charge-retaining means such as a trap level present at the surface of the member to be charged (image-bearing member) or electroconductive particles in a charge-injection layer formed at the surface of the member to be charged.
  • a necessary voltage applied to the charging member is only
  • the charging irregularity may be ascribed to failure in effective retention of electroconductive particles coating the sponge roller for enhancing the injection charging because the sponge cell is provided with sponge cells formed by gas generation caused by decomposition of a foaming agent in a larger size and in a lower density than expected.
  • a principal object of the present invention is to provide a contact charging device of the type wherein a member to be charged is charged by a charging member with the aid of electroconductive particles disposed between the charging member and the member to be charged, allowing uniform direct injection charging.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus including such a charging device.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a charging roller suitably included as a charging member in such a charging device.
  • a charging device comprising: a member to be charged, a charging member disposed so as to form a nip with the member to be charged, and electroconductive particles disposed so as to be present at the nip between the charging member and the member to be charged, wherein the charging member has a fine network-textured surface provided with concave cells giving a total cell edge perimeter per unit area of 15 mm/mm 2 to 60 mm/mm 2 .
  • an image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive member, a charging member disposed so as to form a nip with the photosensitive member, and electroconductive particles disposed so as to be present at the nip between the charging member and the photosensitive member, wherein the charging member has a fine network-textured surface provided with concave cells giving a total cell edge perimeter per unit area of 15 mm/mm 2 to 60 mm/mm 2 .
  • the present invention further provides a process cartridge, comprising: a photosensitive member, a developing means and a charging means integrally supported to form a cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, wherein
  • the present invention also provides a charging roller, having a fine network-textured surface provided with concave cells giving a total cell edge perimeter per unit area of 15 mm/mm 2 to 60 mm/mm 2 .
  • the charging device of the present invention includes a charging member having a fine network-textured surface provided with concave cells giving a total cell edge perimeter per unit area which is controlled to be in the range of 15 - 60 mm/mm 2 .
  • the cell edge means a periphery of each of multiplicity of concave cells or surface concavities which in combination provide the fine network-textured surface of the charging member.
  • Figure 2 is a partial plan view for illustrating a surface network texture of sponge (or foam rubber) charging member.
  • the surface network texture is formed of cells (or cell concavities) 31 defined by cell edges 33, and cell walls 32 forming a projecting surface of the charging member.
  • the excellent uniform charging performance of the charging device according to the present invention may be ascribed to the following factors.
  • the total cell edge perimeter per unit area (1 mm 2 ) i.e., cell edge perimeter density
  • the surface cells are assumed to have true circular shapes, in some typical cases of distribution, a cell edge perimeter density of 15 mm/mm 2 represents the presence of ca. 100 ⁇ m-dia.
  • the degree of promotion of injection charging performance by the (electro)conductive particles is proportional to the number of conductive particles retained at the nip between the charging member and the member to be charged.
  • the cell walls 32 forming a flat convex region exhibit a smaller conductive particle-retaining ability, so that the conductive particles cannot be effectively present thereat.
  • the concave cells 31 exhibits a large conductive particle-retaining power and can retain much conductive particles. Accordingly, a larger cell area density (compared with a cell wall area) is preferred in order to promote the injection charging performance. Further, in view of a typical case where the charging member and the member to be charged are moved with a relative speed difference at the nip therebetween so as to rub each other at the nip, the conductive particles retained in the concave cells 31 are swept to one edge side of the cells, and accordingly if the cell size is large, the spacing between the cell edges where the conductive particles are present is increased, so that the injection charging promotion effect by the conductive particles is liable to be ununiform.
  • a smaller cell size is generally preferred for causing uniform injection charging.
  • too small a cell size results in a small conductive particle-retention power by the cells.
  • a cell edge perimeter density of 15 - 60 mm/mm 2 is effective.
  • the cell size and the cell wall thickness in the charging members used heretofore have been generally too large, so that the cell edge perimeter density thereof has been smaller than that in the charging member of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of the charging device according to the present invention.
  • the charging device includes a charging roller 21 (as a charging member) and a photosensitive member 1 (as a member to be charged) which are disposed to form a nip n therebetween.
  • the charging roller 21 is formed with a porous surface layer of, e.g., sponge or foam rubber, providing a network-textured surface giving a cell edge perimeter density of 15 - 60 mm/mm 2 preferably 20 - 50 mm/mm 2 .
  • the charging roller 21 allows a sufficient contact with the photosensitive member 1 surface while uniformly rubbing the photosensitive member surface with the conductive particles sufficiently retained at the surface thereof, thus allowing a smooth direct transfer of charge therefrom to the photosensitive member surface.
  • the charging roller according to the present invention can exhibit a high charging performance not attainable by a conventional roller charging scheme principally relying on the discharge charging mechanism, whereby a potential almost close to a potential applied to the charging roller 21 can be provided to the photosensitive member 1.
  • the charging roller 21 is required to be supplied with a bias voltage comparable to a potential to be provided to the member to be charged, by realizing a stable and safe direct charging (injection charging) without substantially relying on the discharge phenomenon.
  • the charging roller 21 and the photosensitive member 1 are moved with a relative speed difference so as to rub each other.
  • the photosensitive member 1 and the charging roller 21 may be moved at mutually different surface speeds in an identical direction or moved in mutually opposite directions as represented by arrows A and B in Figure 1.
  • the charging roller 21 may be formed by coating a core metal 2a with an elastic layer 2b.
  • the elastic layer 2b may be formed of a composition including an elastomer (e.g., EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer)), conductive particles (e.g., carbon black), a vulcanizer, a foaming agent, etc.
  • the composition may be extruded and heated for curing into a form of a cylindrical tube 2b, into which the core metal 2a is tightly inserted to provide a roller structure, of which the surface is then generally abraded to provide the charging roller 21.
  • the charging roller 21 is provided with a network-textured surface provided with concave cells separated by cell walls.
  • the network texture of the surface including the cells and cell walls can be formulated into various states by selecting the vulcanizer, forming agent and/or heating means as will be described with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples. Further, such a fine network texture giving such surface unevennesses may also be provided by selective elution of a low-molecular weight substance admixed with a polymeric material to form porous body, or surface treatment of a non-foam body, e.g., by abrasion or etching.
  • an elastomeric layer having a network-textured surface through foaming and curing of an elastomer, it is possible to provide a network-textured surface exhibiting a prescribed cell edge perimeter density by appropriately selecting the species of the foaming agent and vulcanizer, the foaming condition, vulcanization condition, etc. For example, a smaller cell size can be provided by causing thermal decomposition of a foaming agent after the curing of the elastomer has proceeded to some extent, i.e., in a higher viscosity state of the elastomer. Further, if the foaming is caused under heating with steam, a large number of cells can be formed while suppressing the cell size owing to the steam pressure.
  • EPDM elastomer In a preferred case of forming EPDM elastomer to provide a network texture, it is particularly suitable to adopt a combination including azodicarbonamide as a foaming agent, a thiazole compound and a dithiocarbamate compound as vulcanization promoters, and sulfur as a vulcanizer. More specifically, in this case, it is preferred to use 3 - 5 wt. parts of the thiazole compound and dithiocarbamate compound per 100 wt. parts of EPDM. In order to provide the cell edge perimeter density of 15 - 60 mm/mm 2 , the elastomer may preferably be foamed to provide a specific gravity in a range of 0,2 - 0.65.
  • the charging roller It is important for the charging roller to function as an electrode. Accordingly, in addition to an elasticity for ensuring a sufficient contact with a member to be charged, the charging roller is required to have a sufficiently low resistance suitable for charging a moving member to be charged. On the other hand, the charging roller is required to prevent voltage leakage even at a defect such as a pinhole possibly present on the member to be charged. Accordingly, in the case where an electrophotographic photosensitive member is used as the member to be charged, the charging roller may preferably have a resistance of 10 4 - 10 7 ohm so as a to exhibit a sufficient charging performance and a sufficient leakage resistance.
  • the charging roller may preferably have an Asker C hardness in a range of 25 deg. to 50 deg.
  • the elastic layer 2b of the charging roller 21 may preferably comprise an elastomer, such as EPDM (ethylene-propylene rubber), urethane rubber, NBR (nitrile-butadiene rubber), silicone rubber or IR (butyl rubber), blended with an electroconductive substance, such as carbon black or a metal oxide, to be dispersed therein for resistance adjustment.
  • an elastomer such as EPDM (ethylene-propylene rubber), urethane rubber, NBR (nitrile-butadiene rubber), silicone rubber or IR (butyl rubber)
  • an electroconductive substance such as carbon black or a metal oxide
  • the resistance adjustment can also be effected by using an ionically conductive elastomeric material without particularly dispersing an electroconductive substance, or can be effected by using a mixture of a metal oxide and an ionically conductive material.
  • the charging roller is operated in the form of being coated with conductive particles m as shown in Figure 1.
  • the conductive particles may comprise particles of metal oxides, etc., blends thereof with an organic material, or surface-coated products of these.
  • the metal oxides may for example include: zinc oxide, tin oxide/antimony oxide complex oxide, and titanium oxide/tin oxide complex oxide.
  • the organic materials may for example include: polypyrrole and polyaniline.
  • the conductive particles may preferably have a specific resistance of at most 10 12 ohm.cm.
  • Specific resistance values described herein are based on values measured according to the tablet method as follows. Namely, Ca. 0.5 g of a powdery sample is placed in a cylinder having a bottom area of 2.26 cm 2 , and sandwiched under a load of 15 kg between upper and lower electrodes. In this state, a resistance value is measured while applying a voltage of 100 volts and normalized to obtain a specific resistance value.
  • the conductive particles may preferably have an average particle size (50 %-average particle size) of at most 50 ⁇ m based on observation through an optical or electron microscope wherein agglomerated particles are observed as such (i.e., not based on primary particles thereof) and the particle size of each individual particle is measured as a maximum chord span taken in a single (e.g., horizontal) direction for at least 100 particles selected at random to obtain a volume-basis particle size distribution, from which a particle size (diameter) cumulatively giving 50 %-volume is determined as an average particle size.
  • the conductive particles may further preferably have an average particle size of at least 10 nm so as to allow uniform production of the particles, and preferably at least 0.3 ⁇ m for effective araticle size control.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a cleanerless-type of electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which is not equipped with a cleaning means for the photosensitive member but allows toner recycling.
  • the image forming apparatus includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 1, around which are disposed a charging roller 2, an exposure means 3, a developing device 4, a transfer charger 5 and a fixing device 6.
  • the developing device, photosensitive member and charging roller can be integrated into a process cartridge, which can be detachably mountable to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus.
  • the charging roller 2 was abutted to the photosensitive member 1 as a member to be charged at a prescribed pressing force in resistance to the elasticity thereof, so as to form a charging nip n of 3 mm between the photosensitive member 1 and the charging roller 2.
  • the charging roller 2 was rotated in an indicated arrow B direction at a rate of 80 rpm so as to provide a circumferential speed identical to that (50 mm/sec) of the photosensitive member 1 but in a direction opposite to the rotation direction indicated by an arrow A.
  • the core metal 2a of the charging roller 2 was supplied with a DC voltage of -620 volts as a charging bias voltage from a charging bias voltage supply S1.
  • the photosensitive member 1 was charged to a surface potential of -600 volts almost equal to the voltage applied to the charging roller 2.
  • the photosensitive member 1 comprised an aluminum of 30 mm in outer diameter coated successively with a charge generation layer, a charge transport layer and a charge injection layer.
  • the charge generation layer was a 1 ⁇ m-thick layer comprising a disazo-type charge generation pigment dispersed in polyvinyl butyral resin in a weight ratio of 2:1.
  • the charge transport layer was a 20 ⁇ m-thick layer comprising a hydrazone-type charge-transporting compound mixed in polycarbonate resin in a weight ratio of 1:1.
  • the charge injection layer was a 10 ⁇ m-thick layer for promoting charge injection from the charging roller 2 to the charge transport layer and formed by dispersing SnO 2 powder as a conductive filler in a phosphazene resin in a weight ratio of 7:10.
  • the exposure means 3 comprised a laser beam scanner including a laser diode, a polygonal mirror, etc.
  • the laser beam scanner 3 was operated to output a laser beam L of which the intensity was modulated corresponding to time-serial electrical digital pixel signals based on objective image data.
  • the uniformly charged surface of the rotating photosensitive member 1 was exposed to the scanning laser beam L.
  • an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the objective image data was formed on the surface of the photosensitive member 1.
  • the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 1 surface was developed by the developing device 4 to form a toner image.
  • the developing device 4 was a reversal development device using a magnetic monocomponent insulating toner (negatively chargeable toner), and included a nonmagnetic rotational developing sleeve 4a as a developer-carrying member enclosing therein a magnetic roll 4b.
  • a developer 4d contained in the developing device 4 was applied in a thin layer of a controlled thickness on the rotating developing sleeve 4a by means of a regulating blade 4c whereby the toner in the developer 4d was provided with a charge.
  • the developer 4d applied on the developing sleeve 4a was conveyed along with the rotation of the sleeve 4a to a developing region a at a position where the photosensitive member 1 and the sleeve 4a were opposite to each other.
  • the sleeve 4a was supplied with a developing bias voltage comprising a superposition of a DC voltage of -500 volts and a rectangular AC voltage of a frequency of 1800 volts and a peak-to-peak voltage of 1600 volts from a developing bias voltage supply S2.
  • a developing bias voltage comprising a superposition of a DC voltage of -500 volts and a rectangular AC voltage of a frequency of 1800 volts and a peak-to-peak voltage of 1600 volts from a developing bias voltage supply S2.
  • the developer 4d was a mixture of a toner t and conductive particles m .
  • the toner t was prepared by subjecting a blend of a binder resin, magnetic particles and a charge control agent to melt-kneading, pulverization and classification, and by blending the resultant toner particles with a flowability improving agent as an external additive.
  • the toner t had a weight-average particle size (D4) of 7 ⁇ m.
  • the conductive particles m comprised conductive zinc oxide particles of 3 ⁇ m in diameter, and blended in 2 wt. parts with 100 wt. parts of the toner t .
  • the particles m exhibited a specific resistance of 10 6 ohm.cm, and an average particle size of 3 ⁇ m including the secondary agglomerate particles.
  • the image forming apparatus further included a medium-resistivity transfer roller 5 as a contact transfer means, which was abutted against the photosensitive member at a prescribed pressure to form a transfer nip b therewith.
  • a transfer paper p was supplied to the transfer nip b from a paper supply unit (not shown) according to prescribed timing, a prescribed transfer bias voltage was applied to the transfer roller 5 from a transfer bias voltage supply S3, whereby toner images formed on the photosensitive member 1 were sequentially transferred onto the transfer paper P supplied to the transfer nip b .
  • the transfer roller 5 had a resistance of 5x10 8 ohm, and was supplied with a DC voltage of +2000 volts for transfer.
  • the transfer paper P introduced to the transfer nip b was conveyed under nipping through the nip b , while successively receiving on its surface toner images formed and carried on the rotating photosensitive member by transfer under the action of an electrostatic force and a pressing force.
  • the fixing device 6 was of a heat-fixation type.
  • the transfer paper P having received the transferred toner image at the transfer nip b from the photosensitive member 1 was separated from the photosensitive member 1 and introduced to the fixing device 6, where the toner image was fixed thereonto and the resultant image product (print or copy) was discharged out of the apparatus.
  • the toner image on the photosensitive member 1 was positively transferred onto the transfer paper P under the action of the transfer bias voltage, but the conductive particles m on the photosensitive member 1 were not positively transferred onto the transfer paper P because of their electroconductivity but was substantially held in attachment onto the photosensitive member 1.
  • the conductive particles m and possible transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member 1 after the transfer were brought along with the rotation of the photosensitive member 1 to the charging nip n of the charging roller 2 and attached to the charging roller 2.
  • the photosensitive member 1 was contact-charged in the state where the conductive particles m were present at the nip n between the photosensitive member 1 and the charging roller 2.
  • a sufficient amount of the conductive particles m could not be supplied to the charging roller surface from the developer 4d, the charging roller surface was coated in advance with conductive particles m .
  • the residual toner moved to the charging roller 2 was gradually discharged out of the charging roller to be removed by the developing device 4 and recycled for development again.
  • a conductive foam rubber layer-forming composition was formulated from the following ingredients.
  • EPDM EPT 8065E
  • the above ingredients were kneaded on an open roll to obtain a rubber composition, and the composition was extruded into a tube, followed by primary vulcanization for 30 min. by heating at 160 °C with steam of 0.52 MPa and secondary vulcanization for 30 min. by electric furnace heating at 160 °C.
  • a core metal of 6 mm in outer diameter and 250 mm in length was inserted and the outer surface of the rubber layer was abraded to form a charging roller of 12 mm in outer diameter having a fine network-textured surface provided with concave cells giving a total cell edge perimeter density of 50.0 mm/mm 2 .
  • the foam rubber layer exhibited a specific gravity of 0.21, thus showing a foaming ratio of 4.9.
  • the charging roller exhibited a resistance of 10 4 ohm.
  • the primary vulcanization by heating with steam was effective for minute cell formation because the steam pressure suppressed the expansion of cells during the progress of vulcanization and foaming under heating, and the use of an appropriately selected foaming agent in a relatively large amount was effective for generating a sufficient amount of foaming gas without retarding the vulcanization to provide a foam rubber having a high foaming ratio and thin cell walls.
  • roller resistance values described herein are based on values measured as follows with reference to Figure 3.
  • a sample roller 42 is abutted against an aluminum drum 43 while applying a total load of 1 kg to the core metal 41, and a resistance is measured while applying a DC voltage of 100 volts between the core metal 41 and the aluminum drum 43.
  • the total cell edge perimeter density values described herein are based on values measured as follows, A sample roller surface is observed through an optical microscope ("DMRHC” metal microscope, made by Reica Microsystem K.K.) at a magnification of 200, and the resultant roller surface image is image-processed by an image analyzer ("Q5001W-EX", made by Reica Microsystem K.K.) to measure individual cell areas, from which area-equivalent circle diameters (d ceq ) of individual surface cells, and for respective individual cells of d ceq ⁇ 10 ⁇ m, cell edge perimeters are calculated as ⁇ x d ceq and summed up per unit area of 1 mm 2 to provide a cell edge perimeter density (mm/mm 2 ).
  • DMRHC optical microscope
  • Q5001W-EX area-equivalent circle diameters
  • the above-prepared charging roller was set in the image forming system described with reference to Figure 5, and the resultant toner image fixed on the transfer paper P was evaluated with respect to resolution of 100 ⁇ m-wide thin lines. More specifically, a large number of 100 ⁇ m-wide thin lines were formed with a spacing of 100 ⁇ m, and 20 image lines were selected at random for observation through a microscope to measure a maximum width and a minimum width along a length of 1500 ⁇ m for each line. From the measured results, the resolution was evaluated according to the following standard.
  • the charging rollers were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except for changing the vulcanizer formulation and the foaming agent formulation of the foam rubber layer-forming composition as shown in Table 1.
  • the primary vulcanization was effected by electric furnace heating at 160 °C for 30 min. unlike the other Examples (including Example 1 mentioned above) and Comparative Examples where the primary vulcanization was effected by the steam heating (at 160 °C (0.52 MPa) far 30 min.).
  • a charging device is formed of a member to be charged, a charging member disposed so as to form a nip with the member to be charged, and electroconductive particles disposed so as to be present at the nip between the photosensitive member and the member to be charged.
  • a uniform direct injection charging performance is realized by providing the charging member with a fine network-textured surface having concave cells giving a total cell edge perimeter per unit area of 15 mm/mm 2 to 60 mm/mm 2 .

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electrostatic Charge, Transfer And Separation In Electrography (AREA)
EP00122870A 1999-10-22 2000-10-20 Aufladevorrichtung, Aufladerolle und Bilderzeugungsgerät Expired - Lifetime EP1094370B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP30106499 1999-10-22
JP30106499 1999-10-22

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1094370A2 true EP1094370A2 (de) 2001-04-25
EP1094370A3 EP1094370A3 (de) 2002-05-15
EP1094370B1 EP1094370B1 (de) 2005-03-09

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EP00122870A Expired - Lifetime EP1094370B1 (de) 1999-10-22 2000-10-20 Aufladevorrichtung, Aufladerolle und Bilderzeugungsgerät

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US (1) US6343199B1 (de)
EP (1) EP1094370B1 (de)
DE (1) DE60018522T2 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1355201A1 (de) * 2002-04-19 2003-10-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Aufladungselement für ein Bilderzeugungsgerät mit einem elastischen geschäumten Bereich
CN103988132A (zh) * 2011-12-06 2014-08-13 佳能株式会社 导电性构件、处理盒和电子照相设备

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US6836636B2 (en) * 2000-08-25 2004-12-28 Bridgestone Corporation Transfer roller and image-forming apparatus
US6553199B2 (en) * 2000-10-20 2003-04-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Charging device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
US6703094B2 (en) * 2000-11-08 2004-03-09 Canon Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha Charging member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus
JP3728267B2 (ja) * 2002-04-23 2005-12-21 キヤノン株式会社 プロセスカートリッジ及び画像形成装置
JP2005195681A (ja) * 2003-12-26 2005-07-21 Canon Inc 画像形成装置
US8235879B2 (en) * 2007-06-25 2012-08-07 Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd. Charging roll

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JPH10221945A (ja) * 1997-02-06 1998-08-21 Tokai Rubber Ind Ltd トナー供給ロール
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Cited By (3)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1355201A1 (de) * 2002-04-19 2003-10-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Aufladungselement für ein Bilderzeugungsgerät mit einem elastischen geschäumten Bereich
US6882814B2 (en) 2002-04-19 2005-04-19 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Charging member, charging apparatus and image forming apparatus
CN103988132A (zh) * 2011-12-06 2014-08-13 佳能株式会社 导电性构件、处理盒和电子照相设备

Also Published As

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EP1094370A3 (de) 2002-05-15
DE60018522D1 (de) 2005-04-14
DE60018522T2 (de) 2006-02-16
US6343199B1 (en) 2002-01-29
EP1094370B1 (de) 2005-03-09

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